“Airport” is a single by English power pop/new wave band The Motors. Released on 10 June 1978 by Virgin Records, the song reached number four on the UK Singles Chart. The song was written by singer Andy McMaster, which he wrote “while living under the Heathrow flightpath” according to an interview in the August 2015 issue of Record Collector magazine, in 1976. McMaster then switched from keyboards to bass for the band’s first album. After the release of their 1977 debut album, 1, the Motors moved away from their pub rock sound to a new wave style with synthesizers (most prominent on tracks McMaster had previously written) and recognisable melodies. Reviewing the group’s 1981 greatest hits compilation, Lance Philips (in the Rough Guide to Rock) describes “Airport” as “naturally stand[ing] out” and that the “rest doesn’t quite match up”. Philips also comments on the song’s inclusion on the 1978 album Approved by the Motors, saying that despite its appearance the album failed to be a commercial success. The Motors’ entry in the Encyclopedia of Popular Music notes that “Airport” has become a stock piece of music often accompanying footage of aeroplane or airports. The encyclopedia suggests that the song’s popularity did nothing to extend the life of the band, which underwent personnel changes by the end of the year.
I have read all comments regarding Airport which I wrote and sang and I am so humbled by how it meant to so many people. Being a part of the Motors was a great experience for me and I never expected so much love from so many people. The fact that it meant so much to so many at different times in life is astonishing! Eternal love to al. – Andy McMaster on YouTube.
Nick Garvey—vocal/guitar
Bram Tchaikovsky—guitar/vocal
Andy McMaster—bass guitar/synthesizer
Ricky Wernham—drums
New Music United 